Thursday, June 30, 2011

Bits and Bytes - June 30th edition

In the Vancouver Sun:

* Union Bay Improvement District withdraws defamation lawsuit against local blogger, after it was pointed out that a recent BC Supreme Court ruling involving the City of Powell River stated that it was contrary to law for a local government, using local tax dollars, to sue an individual to make comments about their local government - see here

* City of WL in news again - see here

In the Williams Lake Tribune:

* School District #27 adopts 2011/2012 Budget - see here
* WL Stampede starts today - see here
* CO Service investigates illegal shooting of a deer - see here
* BC Teachers vote 90% in favour of strike action - see here
* Cariboo MLA's on possible fall provincial election - see here
* Cariboo-North MLA Bob Simpson, writes in his weekly column, on whether or not provincial austerity measures are forthcoming - see here (Editor's Note - I think the people of Williams Lake should be worried about the same, given City of WL's long-term debt and internal borrowing obligations of $18.7 million - this up from about $9 million at this same time in 2008, a doubling of the debt in 3 years)

At Welcome to Williams Lake:

* Introduction of new Fire Information Officer Jenny Fremlin - see here
* Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett applauds 100 Mile Mayor Mitch Campsall's push for a prison in the 100 Mile area - see here
* Finning machinists on strike in Williams Lake - see here
* Chilcotin First Nations Unity riders arrive in WL - see here

On The Rush:

* Quesnel City Councillor Sushil Thapar was formally presented with a request to apologize after making some very serious defamatory comments against Quesnel City Manager John Stecyk.  Mr. Thapar has already stated that he does not intend to apologize.  This will be an interesting case to observe to see what the next steps may look like but doesn't bode well for Quesnel Staff - Quesnel Council relations but hopefully there can be a resolution of some sort so Quesnel Council can move on to other matters requiring their attention

* In today's Town Hall program, Mayor Cook discussed with Town Hall host Dale Taylor the following:

a) Oliver St Project - project on hold for WL Stampede but paving would occur after WL Stampede
was over (last word was end of July, according to City's General Manager of Planning and Operations Geoff Goodall)

b) Station House Gallery - Mayor Cook stated that the City would reapply for a "Towns for Tomorrow" to allow a move of the Station House Gallery by the next intake deadline for October.  Two questions I have are:

i) Has the City discussed this with Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett to see why the application failed?  Was the application itself?  Was it because too many applications came in?

ii) Why doesn't the City do a little homework and look at alternate sites to see if a move to another location (other than the Royal Bank) can strengthen the "Towns for Tomorrow" grant application.  If Mayor Cook's Council refuses, then the next Council may very well do this.  Also - have measurements of the current building taken place to ensure it can be moved safely and that the building's integrity is not comprised?  Also - given a report authored in May by City of WL Senior Bylaw Officer Brad McRae to expand the Off-Street Parking Zone if the City does not, under any circumstance, want the Station House Gallery building to remain, giving its' plan for apparent parking - public, RV, etc - see Mr. McRae's report here.  WL Council considered this report at this past Tuesday's Committee of the Whole Council meeting so we'll have to see Tuesday's WL Council Meeting Agenda to see what Council did with this report

c) Sam Ketcham Memorial Pool (SKMP) Shutdown - Mayor Cook stated that the shutdown was unfortunate but has to be done now to effect repairs and that the Central Cariboo Community will have to address this topic, sooner rather than later.  A reminder - that SKMP will shut down at 6:00pm today for a mininum of 3 weeks in July but it could be longer, depending on how things go.  Options for families to go swimming include the Scout Island Beach and any of the thousands of lakes in the Cariboo-Chilcotin but let's hope the City can hold the shutdown to 3 weeks.  Also - giving City of WL debt obligations (long term debt and internal borrowing) of $18.7 million - I doubt that there is much, if any, appetite to borrow any more money (no matter who does it - City or CRD) until City debt load is lessened to a more comfortable number

* Norm Prevost, from the South Cariboo Labour Council, says federal Conservatives "Anti-Labour" - see here

Finally - With Canada Day tomorrow (Friday) - I'll be taking a day off and enjoying the day like most of Williams Lake is and resuming blogging on Saturday where I'll reveal what CRD Staff made in 2009 vs 2010 and which local governments are meeting next week

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